View source for USS Louisiana (SSBN-743)

{{short description|Submarine of the United States}}

{{Other ships|USS Louisiana}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = yes
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{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = [[File:USS Louisiana (SSBN-743).jpg|border|300px|USS Louisiana arrives for the first time at their new homeport at Naval Base Kitsap, Silverdale, Washington, 12 October 2005]]
| Ship caption = USS ''Louisiana'' (SSBN-743) arriving for the first time at her new [[home port]] at [[Naval Base Kitsap]] in [[Bangor, Washington]], on 12 October 2005.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{USN flag|1997}}
| Ship name = ''Louisiana''
| Ship namesake = [[Louisiana]]
| Ship builder = [[General Dynamics Electric Boat]]
| Ship ordered = 19 December 1990
| Ship laid down = 23 October 1992
| Ship launched = 27 July 1996
| Ship sponsor = Patricia O{{'}}Keefe
| Ship purchased = 
| Ship commissioned = 6 September 1997
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship captured = 
| Ship status = {{Ship in active service}}
| Ship struck = 
| Ship reinstated = 
| Ship homeport = [[Naval Base Kitsap|Bremerton]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
| Ship motto = ''Union, Justice, and Confidence''
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship honors = *[[Omaha Trophy]] 2006
*[[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] (Blue Crew) 2009
*Meritorious Unit Commendation (Gold Crew) 2009
| Ship badge = [[File:USS Louisiana SSBN 743 COA.png|153px]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Ship class = {{sclass|Ohio|submarine|4}} [[ballistic missile submarine]]
| Ship displacement = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine displacement}}
| Ship length = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine length}}
| Ship beam = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine beam}}
| Ship draft = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine draft}}
| Ship propulsion = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine propulsion}}
| Ship speed = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine speed}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship test depth = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine depth}}
| Ship capacity = 
| Ship complement = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine complement}}
| Ship troops = 
| Ship time to activate = 
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = {{Ohio class ballistic missile submarine ssbn armament}}
| Ship armour = 
}}
|}

'''USS ''Louisiana''''' ([[Hull number|hull number]] '''SSBN-743''') is the 18th and last boat of the [[United States Navy]]{{'}}s {{sclass|Ohio|submarine|4}} of nuclear-powered [[fleet ballistic missile submarine]]s. She carries [[Trident missile|Trident ballistic missiles]] and has been in commission since 1997. She is the fourth [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] ship to bear the name of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Louisiana]].

==Construction and commissioning==
The contract for the construction of ''Louisiana'' was awarded on 19 December 1990 and her [[keel]] was laid down at the [[Electric Boat]] Division of [[General Dynamics]] in [[Groton, Connecticut]], on 23 October 1992. She was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 27 July 1996, sponsored by Patricia O'Keefe, and commissioned on 6 September 1997 at [[Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay]] at [[Kings Bay, Georgia]].

==Service history==
{{Expand section|History needed for 1997–2021.|date=December 2021}}

===Atlantic Fleet operations===
''Louisiana''{{'}}s first [[home port]] was Kings Bay. Her commissioning gave Kings Bay its planned full complement of 10 [[ballistic missile submarine]]s.

===Transfer to Pacific Fleet===
In the 1990s, with the end of the [[Cold War]] and the subsequent reorganization of U.S. military forces, a U.S. nuclear policy review recommended that the U.S. Navy reduce its inventory of ''Ohio''-class fleet ballistic missile submarines from 18 to 14 by 2005. An original plan to meet this goal by retiring the four oldest ''Ohio''-class submarines {{em dash}} {{USS|Ohio|SSBN-726|2}}, {{USS|Michigan|SSBN-727|2}}, {{USS|Florida|SSBN-728|2}}, and {{USS|Georgia|SSBN-729|2}} {{em dash}} was abandoned. Instead, those four were converted into [[cruise missile submarine]]s (SSGNs). The conversions reduced the size of the Trident-equipped ballistic missile submarine fleet to 14 units. In order to balance the remaining Trident-equipped fleet between the [[United States Atlantic Fleet]] and [[United States Pacific Fleet]], five ''Ohio''-class submarines relocated from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Between 2002 and 2005, {{USS|Pennsylvania|SSBN-735|2}}, {{USS|Kentucky|SSBN-737|2}}, {{USS|Nebraska|SSBN-739|2}}, {{USS| Maine|SSBN-741|2}}, and ''Louisiana'' relocated from Kings Bay to [[Naval Base Kitsap]].<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-848|title=Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base|publisher=The New Georgia Encyclopedia|access-date=30 September 2011|archive-date=7 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607024621/http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-848|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Pacific Fleet operations===
{{Empty section|History needed for 2005–2021.|date=December 2021}}

====2016 collision====
On 18 August 2016, ''Louisiana'' collided with {{USNS|Eagleview|T-AGSE-3|6}}, a [[submarine and special warfare support vessel]], while conducting operations in the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]]. Both vessels returned to their respective home ports under their own power. Damage to ''Louisiana'' was limited to her forward starboard hull.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.usni.org/2016/08/22/navy-investigating-uss-louisiana-nuclear-submarine-collision-msc-ship|title=Navy Investigating USS Louisiana Nuclear Submarine Collision|date=2016-08-22|work=USNI News|access-date=2017-05-04|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Awards==
===2006 Omaha Trophy===
[[File:743 Omaha.jpg|thumb|''Louisiana'' receiving the 2006 [[Omaha Trophy]] in 2007.]]
The Strategic Air Command Consultation Committee presented the [[Omaha Trophy]] to the [[Strategic Air Command|Strategic Air Command (SAC)]] in 1971 on behalf of the citizens of [[Omaha, Nebraska]], with the request that it be awarded annually to the outstanding SAC [[Wing (military aviation unit)|wing]]; the award later grew to include four different categories, including [[Intercontinental ballistic missile|Intercontinental Ballistic Missile]] Command, Strategic Aircraft Operations Command, Strategic Space and Information Operations Command, and Submarine Ballistic Missile Command. On 31 May 2007, [[United States Strategic Command]] announced that ''Louisiana'' had won the 2006 Omaha Trophy in the Submarine Ballistic Missile Command category, which recognizes excellence in the fleet and is presented annually to the ballistic missile submarine unit demonstrating the highest standards of performance; in order for ''Louisiana'' to receive the award, both her Blue Crew and Gold Crew had to achieve excellence in every category possible from loading weapons to tactical scenarios related to strategic warfare to sailor retention and crew morale, with selection for the award based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety, and other factors such as community involvement and humanitarian actions. General [[Kevin P. Chilton]], commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, presented the trophy to ''Louisiana''{{'}}s crew.

===2009 Meritorious Unit Commendation===
Both the Blue and Gold crews of ''Louisiana'' received the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] from the [[Chief of Naval Operations]], [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] [[Gary Roughead]] on 17 February 2009 during an all-hands call while he was visiting Naval Base Kitsap. The award was based on a recognition that both crews collectively had performed service of a character comparable in a non-combat situation to that which would merit the award of a [[Bronze Star Medal]], or an award of like caliber, to an individual in a combat situation. ''Louisiana'' was specifically recognized for meritorious service and superior performance across the spectrum of [[Deterrence theory|strategic submarine operations]], setting fleet standards of excellence for administration, engineering, supply, personnel programs, and community support. ''Louisiana'' was the first ballistic missile submarine to be awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation since 2001.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=42730|title = CNO Presents Meritorious Unit Commendation to USS Louisiana (SSBN-743)|publisher = Navy News|id = Story Number: NNS090219-22|access-date  = 30 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906193253/http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=42730|archive-date = 6 September 2009}}</ref>

==Ship's crest==
''Louisiana''{{'}}s crest recalls the traditions of the people of the state of Louisiana and the three previous U.S. Navy ships to bear the name ''Louisiana''. The symbolism of the crest reminds both crews of their bond to the people and history of Louisiana, as well as the tradition of the naval veterans who have served aboard ships of the same name. To others, the crest serves as a statement that the crews carry forward and those traditions of faithful and excellent service.

[[File:743 logo.png|left|thumb|USS ''Louisiana''{{'}}s patch, which closely resembles the ship{{'}}s crest.]] The gold braid encircling the seal represents commitment of the two crews to the values of pride, patriotism, honor, and tradition. The 18 stars surrounding the crest identify ''Louisiana'' as the 18th state of the [[United States of America|Union]] and ''Louisiana'' as the 18th ''Ohio''-class submarine. The Louisiana [[List of U.S. state birds|state bird]], the [[pelican]], is shown protecting her young with outstretched wings; the pelican, as legend has it, is the only bird known to give its own flesh to feed its young when it is unable to find food, and this signifies the mission of ''Louisiana'' and her two crews to defend, at all costs, the freedoms and values that America represents.

The red, white, and blue colors in the crest symbolize ''Louisiana''{{'}}s duty to the nation. The crest also includes the gold, white, and blue of the state of Louisiana to recall the submarine{{'}}s name{{'}}s origins. Additionally, the dark blue and gold in the crest traditionally associated with the United States Navy represent excellence and the sea, and also symbolizes the two crews {{em dash}} Blue Crew and Gold Crew {{em dash}} of ''Louisiana''. The bow-on perspective of the modern ''Ohio''-class submarine is meant to be striking, bold, and steadfast in its appearance, serving as a warning of ''Louisiana''{{'}}s resolute commitment to defending freedom.

The four stars on the submarine{{'}}s bow indicate that ''Louisiana'' the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. The laurel symbolizes each crew member's commitment to honorable service to their country and ship. The [[trident]]s symbolize naval weaponry, both past and present, and sea prowess. Their bottom spikes pierce the Louisiana [[state motto]], anchoring it, while pointing toward the ocean depths where the ship patrols. An iris with three petals was once the [[Heraldry|armorial emblem]] of French [[monarch|sovereign]]s, and it is often used as a symbol of the state of Louisiana; here it represents France's strong influence on the State of Louisiana. The banner with the inscription "Union, Justice, and Confidence" proclaims the Louisiana state motto. Wrapping the banner around the ship symbolizes the crew's strong ''[[esprit de corps]]'' with the people of the state of Louisiana. The [[crawfish]] further symbolizes the cultural heritage of the people of the state of Louisiana.<ref>USS ''Louisiana'' Welcome aboard brochure</ref>
{{clear left}}

==References==
*{{Naval Vessel Register|hull=SSBN-743}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Citation
|url=http://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08743.htm
|title=NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive Louisiana (SSBN-743)
|access-date=30 September 2011
}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140910005149/http://www.louisiana.navy.mil/ USS Louisiana Home Page]

{{Ohio class submarine}}
{{2016 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Louisiana (Ssbn-743)}}
[[Category:Ships built in Groton, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Ohio-class submarines]]
[[Category:Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:1997 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2016]]
[[Category:Submarines of the United States]]